Our History

On January 4, the team achieved 3rd place at the Indoor City Championship – the first podium finish in a long time!

On May 12, the new artificial turf pitch was officially inaugurated – 6,800 m², costing around 952,000 euros. A new chapter for the Seestadion!

The U15 (C-Jugend) secured the league title in the performance class 1.

The U17 (B-Jugend) became district champions in Group 1 and were promoted to the Bezirksliga – an outstanding success for youth development! The U13 (D-Jugend) also secured the group victory in the qualification round.

The First Team started fresh in Kreisliga B Division 2 – a deliberate new beginning with a young team from our own youth.

The First Team achieved 4th place in Bezirksliga Group 4 during the 2020/21 season – the best result since their promotion in 2018!

The youth department caused a stir with four group victories:

• U13 (D-Jugend): Division title in Kreisklasse + Special Division
• U11 (E-Jugend): Division title in Autumn Round + Performance Division

On February 17, the U13 II (D2-Junioren) won the Cay Bau Cup with a 5-3 victory in the final against Alemannia Aachen – a special success in the youth sector. Professional player Salih Özcan (1. FC Köln) was present as a prominent guest.

In July, chairman Jürgen Heinrichs gave a positive review of the club's development at the annual general meeting.

Jürgen Heinrichs succeeded Anton Meier as the club's chairman. Under his leadership, the club was set to experience significant sporting progress.

The Second Team, led by player-coach Sven Nießen, was promoted from Kreisliga C to Kreisliga B in the 2012/13 season – a bright spot in a challenging period for the senior teams.

The success can be attributed to many factors. An excellent coach Maaßen, experienced players like Gereon, Davy, Jury, Anton, Andreas, Carsten, Ralf, Carlos, Matthias, and Andreas, complemented by the young talents Churency, Thomas, the two Waldemars, Willy, Kevin, Daniel, and Fabio, formed a strong team. Last but not least, a prudent and patient board that always believed in success contributed to this achievement. Thanks to the youth department for the excellent training of our young players.

On the following pages, you will find the people who currently represent our club. The order does not indicate importance. Ideally, they would all be shown in one picture, but this is not possible for technical reasons.

Our Board in the Anniversary Year

From left:

Managing Director Torsten Schons, 2nd Treasurer Andre Beumers,

2nd Chairman Günter Bernhardt, Chairman Manuel dos Santos, Board Member Carsten Jungbluth, 2nd Managing Director Michael Steffen, Board Member Arndt Heutz, Treasurer Jürgen Lowis,

Board Member Marcel von Helden

Our First Team in the anniversary year

Back row from left:

Churency Winklaar, Matthias v. Helden, Davy Boyen (C), Daniel Lennartz, Willy Steitz, Waldemar Gizel, Kevin Jansen,

Carsten Jungbluth, Coach Andreas Maaßen

Front row from left:

Ralf Schranz, Carlos Dias, Thomas Joschko, Anton Meier,

Gereon Bahners, Andreas Grefen

Missing: Juri, Fabio da Costa, and Waldemar Eberle

Our Second Team in the anniversary year

Back row from left:

Martin Parma, Eddi Oglu, Michael Lintzen, Leo Lasic, Alex Prange, Jose Monteiro, Daniel Lennartz, Marcel von Helden,

Coach Willi Beumers

Front row from left:

Andre da Costa, Yve Nießen, Sven Nießen, Paolo Pareira, Carlos Madeira, Dave Scardina, Christian Kleinpass,

Nuno Carillho

Our Youth Board in the anniversary year

Front row from left to right:

Managing Director Andreas Gabel, Youth Leader Marc Beckers,

Treasurer Gerd Truger

Back row from left to right:

3rd Managing Director Sebastian Ahrendt, 2nd Managing Director Michael Küppers,

2nd Youth Leader Uwe Bürschgens, Assessor Leo Jansen-Wallraven, Assessor Daniel Lennartz

Missing: Second Treasurer Guido Goertz

Our U19 (A-Jugend) in the anniversary year

Top row from left to right:

Coach Ralf Schranz, Sebastian Muehlenbruch, Martin Bongartz, Maik Polywka, Jonas Abert, Maximilian Hermanns, Frithjof Hausswald, Daniel Biermann, Supervisor Gerd Truger

Bottom row from left to right:

Oliver Brabanski, Kevin Gut, Daniel Hamacher, Sebastian Ahrendt,

Ayhan Adams, Thorsten Hahn

Our U17 (B-Jugend) in the anniversary year

Top row from left to right:

Coach Sebastian Ahrendt, Khaid Nizar Mohamed,

Christian Jülicher, Marc Winkens, Julian Wirtz, Tim Lehmkuhl,

Sven Lennartz, Coach Frank Lehmkuhl

Bottom row from left to right:

Jan Berens, Jan Bachmann, Sebair Ljatifi, Domenic Richter,

Kai Lennartz, Alexander Schluns

Missing: Alban Gashi, Raphael Maier, Manuel Hilgers

Our U15 (C-Jugend) in the anniversary year

Top row from left to right:

Coach Michael Kohnen, Nico Arend, Henning Gerlach, Dennis Kröppel, Jan Kohnen, Alexander Klein, Jonas Siegberg,

Supervisor Edi Arend

Bottom row from left to right:

Ferhat Dügünyurdu, Aston Ben Kossi, Pero Lasic,

Patrick Sebastian, Justin Meegdenburg, Peter Lang

Our U11 (E1-Jugend) in the anniversary year

Top row from left to right:

Coach Jose Costa, Frederik Bürschgens, Marcel Richter, Samuel Costa, Till Siemes, Supervisor Uwe Bürschgens, Simon Beeres,

Coach Uwe Schrötter

Bottom row from left to right:

Simon Laprell, Simon Schrötter, Malte v. dem Esche,

Daniel Bachmann

Our U11 (E2-Jugend) in the anniversary year

Top row from left to right:

Coach Uli Timmer, Gianluca Houben, Brian Paulus,

Nicklas Jennissen and Coach Sinan Evren

Bottom row from left to right:

Altrim Kadrijaj, Colin Timmer, Kai Moritz Beckers, Joe Schippers

Missing: Leon Küppers, David Distel

Our U9 (F1-Jugend) in the anniversary year

Middle of the picture, top:

Coach Achim Haimüller

Back row from left: Joshua Henz, Maik Buchta, Julius Haimüller, Ugur Hizoglu

Front row from left:

Ideal Islimi, Evelyn Schrader, Lars von dem Esche, Jon Sefiti

Missing: Rudi Klein and Heinz Hermanns

Our U9 (F2-Jugend) in the anniversary year

Top row from left to right:

Coach Willy Steitz, Lukas Knoben, Gerit Jansen,

Coach Michael Küppers, Johannes Meles, Luca Küppers,

Matteo Marques, Supervisor Marc Beckers

Bottom row from left to right:

Jonas Laumen, Patrick Lima da Costa, Dominik Bslyma,

Leonhard Jansen and Nils Beckers

Missing: Patrick Schuller, Kevin Massaki

Our Bambinis (U7) in the anniversary year

Back row from left to right:

Supervisor Erwin Laumen, Coach Guido Goertz,

Supervisor Rüdiger Kandler

Middle row from left to right:

Leon Josten, Arthur Hulm, Marc-Andre Laumen, Lennart Luft, Henrik Lange, Din Comadigin, Timo Jakobi,

Bottom row from left to right:

Adrian Paulus, Niklas Goertz, Tim Kandler, Herbert Trotno,

Niklas Storms

Missing: Tim Raste

Our Veterans (Alte Herren) team in the anniversary year

Back row from left to right:

Markus Willems, AdamWyzig, Wilfried Joeris, Walter Mevissen, Manuel Cavallho, Stefan Kirches

Front row from left to right:

Jo Bronnenberg (with Frederike), Lothar Pabst, Kalle Kurz,

Arndt Heutz, Armin Schulz

Sports in the anniversary year

In the anniversary year 2010, the club celebrated its 100th anniversary with a big sports festival. A select team from the club won 3:2 against a district league selection. The reserve team was promoted to the 2nd district class. Chairman Josef Zohren stepped down after many years of service and was appointed honorary chairman.

For the new 2007/2008 season, Norbert Hartmann was hired as coach. As a positive side effect of this appointment, several players from Effeld followed the coach. These transfers turned out to be a stroke of luck, as due to the thin roster of older youth players, no transitions from our own youth were expected this year. Additionally, some departures had to be managed.

Coach Hartmann formed a cohesive team of local and external players, which performed very well in the league. From the start, the team made their ambition to get promoted clear through strong performances and led the table after the 7th matchday. However, by the end of the first half of the season, they had to relinquish the top spot to Hilfarth.

A fierce battle for the top spot ensued between Hilfarth, Karken, and our FC. In the end, Hilfarth clearly came out on top. Our team finished second.

The Second Team secured 8th place.

In November 2007, Willi Mühlenbruch passed away after a brief but severe illness. As a long-time active player in the senior and Veterans (Alte Herren) teams and treasurer of the youth department, he was well-known to many athletes.

After a long hiatus, our youth department was able to celebrate successes again in 2008. The U15 (C-Jugend) team won the district championship both on the field and in the hall. Under coach Willi Beumers, the team remained unbeaten in the special group, winning 18 out of 20 games with a goal difference of 86:17.

To save costs, youth department staff had been constructing and assembling youth goals on their own for several years. Over the last 10 years, 8 goals were built. The key players in this effort were Gerd Truger, Heinz Albertz, and Heinz Schluns. Thanks to their good connections with some companies, their facilities and machinery could be used. The club owes these skilled craftsmen a big thank you for their dedication, as it saved a lot of money.

In 2008, our Veterans (Alte Herren) team hosted the Ü-30 city championship. The tournament featured 10 teams. Werner Tellers was secured as the patron, who also donated the trophies for the tournament. Organized by the oldest Veterans players, the tournament turned into a wonderful experience for all participating teams.

At the 2008 assembly, an athlete who was also known as a clubhouse host was honored. Heinz Lowis was rewarded for 50 years of membership. In earlier years, he was feared as a striker for Germania and was well-liked and known as the host of the "Sportzentrale" in Lieck. Additionally, he continued to support the club as a member of the council of elders with advice and assistance.

A new event was introduced in 2008: the night tournament for hobby teams. In the hall at Klevchen, recreational teams competed in a tournament that extended past midnight. The first event was very well received by the community of recreational footballers.

The youth department recognized that our U19 (A-Jugend) had a lot of potential and deserved special support. They searched for a coach who could further develop the youth and reached an agreement with Andreas Maaßen. He is well-known to many football enthusiasts as a former active player for Heinsberg-Lieck and other clubs. Maaßen introduced new training methods, and the youth participated with great motivation.

For the 2003/2004 season, the same team and coach setup as the previous year emerged. The two coaches, Wacht and Dohmen, continued working with the teams. The primary goal for the First Team was to achieve a good placement, as the 2006/2007 season planned to merge the Kreisliga A groups into a single group, the so-called unified Kreisliga A. Good placements needed to be achieved in the following years.

The First Team could not fully meet expectations and finished in 10th place. The Second Team also achieved the same rank, which was considered a success in their case.

In January 2004, Heinz Babucke passed away at the age of 77. Babucke had been a member of the Board and the council of elders and had significantly shaped the Löwenecho.

In the 2004 general assembly, the club was able to present an extraordinary honor. Josef Flutgraf, at 89 years old the club's oldest member, had now been part of the club for 77 years. Chairman Küppers presented a large certificate and a gift basket to this exemplary footballer. Peter Peters was honored for 70 years of membership, and the club stalwarts Mathias Oligschläger and Edi Willems were recognized for their 50-year memberships.

The 2004/2005 season was intended to serve as another year of consolidation in the Kreisliga A. Markus Wacht had once again chosen the path to Teveren, so Ralf Schranz was hired as the new player-coach. Dirk Ryßen took over as coach of the Second Team.

Manfred Küppers was reaffirmed as chairman during the 2005 assembly. Matthias von Helden was elected as his deputy. Torsten Schons became the managing director, with Norbert Berens as his deputy, and Manuel dos Santos remained the treasurer, represented by Jürgen Lowis.

While our First Team finished the season in 9th place, the Second Team, with only 4 wins, had to return to the Kreisliga C. Manfred Küppers took over the training of the Second Team during the final phase of the season but was unable to prevent the relegation.

In the youth department, successes had been absent in recent years. While the younger age groups were well-staffed, the older age groups showed gaps. Therefore, no potential talents from the youth department could be expected to join the senior teams in the coming years. Nevertheless, the development work was carried out with great commitment and patience.

The Veterans (Alte Herren) team hosted the Ü-50 district championships in 2005, with eight participating clubs. The tournament was a successful event. Although the tournament could not be won, the team was more successful at the city championship in Karken, winning the city championship title. In the final against Aphoven, the 1:0 lead by Aphoven was equalized in the last second. In the subsequent penalty shootout, the team kept their nerves and won 4:2.

A large delegation from the youth department participated in the city festival celebrating the 750th anniversary of the city of Heinsberg. The parade was enhanced with festively decorated bicycles, and a goal wall shooting event was organized. Ludwig Stolz (Elektro Stolz) provided all participants with uniform T-shirts. Josef Flutgraf, our oldest member, accompanied the parade in a vintage car. The vintage car was also provided by Ludwig Stolz. This was a wonderful event co-organized by our club.

At the family day of the youth department in 2005, the entire youth department gathered for a group photo. The highlight of the day was Willi Beumers, who had been active in the club as a player, coach, and supervisor for 40 years.

In early summer, some women approached the club with the idea of forming a women's team. The Board embraced the proposal, and a sponsor for the women's equipment was quickly found. The women were coached and managed by Reiner Herkenrath, whose wife and daughter were key members of the team. In their first tournament in Wassenberg, our women achieved an impressive 4th place.

This was followed by diligent training in the Seestadion and the hall. The team also participated in women's hobby tournaments and played friendly matches with neighboring women's teams. Unfortunately, the team lasted only 5 years due to a lack of new players and interest from other women.

Under the leadership of Markus Wacht, a technically strong team developed. He also contributed as a player in defense, midfield, or goal, strengthening the team. By the end of the 2000/2001 season, the team and coach had achieved 5th place in the standings. The Portuguese team secured 11th place in Kreisliga B, just managing to stay in the league. Our reserve team narrowly missed promotion, finishing 2nd in their group.

In spring 2001, Board elections were held again. The old Board, led by chairman Berens, sought candidates for the chairmanship and reached an agreement with Manfred Küppers. Küppers demonstrated his commitment to the club, stood for election, and was elected with great approval. Norbert Berens remained on the Board as deputy chairman. Michael Steffen was elected as secretary, supported by deputy Markus Cremers. Manuel dos Santos became treasurer, with deputies Jürgen Lowis and, as the first woman on the Board, Doris Billens.

The first action under the new Board was the renovation of the clubhouse into a cozy meeting room with a bar. Additionally, a storage room was converted into an office. The construction work was primarily carried out by Manfred Küppers and Karl-Heinz Jansen, who were able to rely on the help of other Board members. To secure this beautiful facility, heavy bars were installed on the windows. You can still "admire" the result today during training sessions, meetings, and home games.

In the now once again traditional local tournament, the team from the Känguruh-Viertel claimed victory for the second time in a row. This year, the tournament was held with a record participation of 11 clubs.

Thanks to the good standings in the league tables over the past two years, our First Team was able to compete in the Kreisliga A in the united football district of Heinsberg during the 2001/2002 season.

In the summer of 1991, the last of a total of 30 tent camps took place. These camps, held in places such as the Eifel, Sauerland, Austria, and Saxony, were attended annually by 50 to 80 children under the guidance of youth leaders Jupp Scherrers, Jüng Rütten, and Hubert Jöris.

At the time of the anniversary, the club was at a peak in terms of membership numbers. About 150 of the 600 members were youth players, and the influx was still significant. There were five senior teams in competition, including two Portuguese teams.

For the 1985/86 season, Dieter Stendel was brought back as coach. The board hoped for a good placement in the Bezirksliga. Kalle Nießen became the coach of the reserve team but was still available for "emergencies" with the First Team. However, the earlier successes under Stendel could not be repeated, and we were relegated to the Kreisliga A as the second-to-last team. Our Second Team, the Portuguese team, also had to start over in a lower division. After initial optimism, they had to take the path to the Kreisliga B.

Every summer, our youth department hosted the Jupp-Scherres Memorial Tournament in memory of our highly esteemed former youth leader. Under youth leader Hubert Jöris, the tournament was continuously expanded and eventually developed into a youth sports week with up to 60 guest teams and a duration of almost two weeks.

The standout youth team of the 1985/86 season was our U17 (B-Jugend). In addition to winning the district championship, they also secured the cup victory. The U11 (E-Jugend) team became district cup winners and indoor district champions.

Coach Stendel could not be retained for the 1986/87 season, so Heinz Hülsen was hired as a player-coach. The club aimed for immediate promotion. Midway through the season, Hülsen stepped down, and Kalle Nießen took over the team. After a strong season, the team finished second in the standings but narrowly missed promotion. Our Second Team held their own well in the Kreisliga B, finishing in third place.

The youth department once again did an excellent job, producing the U19 (A-Jugend) district champions. Once again, talented players were emerging for the First Team.

For the new season, player-coach Dietmar Frenzel was brought in. However, as in the previous year, our First Team narrowly missed promotion, finishing "only" in second place in the standings. The reserve team repeated their third-place finish in the Kreisliga B. The previously relegated first Portuguese team lost a playoff match for promotion to the Kreisliga A against Waldfeucht, narrowly missing promotion.

This season, our youngest players showed that the club has plenty of talent even in the lower age groups, and that the coaches and supervisors were doing an excellent job with the children. The U9 (F-Jugend) team became district champions and cup winners.

At the general meeting in 1988, Rolf Jakobs was elected as the club's chairman.

In addition to the local tournament, which had by then become an established event, a tournament for Second Teams was held in 1988.

Our Portuguese friends also organized a tournament for their compatriots, featuring teams from all over North Rhine-Westphalia.

Comeback and Promotion to the Bezirksliga (1988-1989)

The board recognized the great potential of the First Team as well as the strong connection between the coach and the team. It was no surprise that they decided to continue working with Dietmar. There was great hope of finally achieving promotion on the third attempt.

From the very beginning, the team approached the season with focus and established themselves in the upper third of the standings. At the end of the first half of the season, they were in fourth place. In the tournament for the indoor city championship, our team only lost in the final to the team from Oberbruch.

The general assembly of 1989 brought a surprising comeback. Rolf Jakobs had announced his resignation after just under a year for personal reasons. In the search for a new chairman, Toni Feilzer was asked for his assistance and was ultimately convinced to take on the chairmanship again. The assembly did not hesitate and elected him with an overwhelming majority. Thus, our club now had a chairman who was also an honorary chairman at the same time. Certainly a first in the club's history. His deputy was Herbert Beumers, Holger Elschenbroich was re-elected as managing director, and Wilfried Graf and Wilfried Koßlar became treasurers. Hubert Jöris took on the role of youth leader in addition to being the deputy managing director.

Coach Frenzel was able to present our First Team in top form after the winter break, and the team started with victories. Soon, the team had secured a spot among the top three in the league. In early May, the team reached the top of the table with a win against Porselen. In the last game on the gravel pitch in Aphoven – rumored to be the hottest day of the year – a 5:0 victory was achieved on the dusty field. The FC was back in the Bezirksliga. Many a cool drink must have flowed during the promotion celebration to quench the dry throats.

Coach Frenzel set off for new horizons and left the club, but the Board found more than a very good replacement in homegrown talent Kalle Nießen as player-coach.

As the first test in the new Bezirksliga season, our team hosted Süsterseel in the 1989/90 season. Our team prevailed with a 2:0 victory, fueling hopes of performing well in the league. However, as the season progressed – also due to many injuries – the team struggled and found itself at the bottom of the table.

In February 1990, our honorary chairman Erwin July passed away. He had long led Alemannia from Heinsberg as chairman.

At the start of the second half of the season, our team steadily climbed the table, place by place, and even managed to defeat the Dremmen team on their home ground in a local derby. In the end, the team was satisfied with an 11th-place finish. Our Fourth Team celebrated promotion to Kreisliga B.

The successful U9 (F-Jugend) players of previous years had now become U11 (E-Jugend) players, and in 1989, our club once again produced the district champion and cup winner of the U11 (E-Jugend). They achieved a points ratio of 25:3 with 51:1 goals. At that time, the youth department had eight teams in competition, providing a sporting home for 90 children and young people. Over the past year, the teams participated in 40 tournaments and achieved 25 podium finishes.

The autumn of the year brought a major event to the Seestadion. The Sepp-Herberger Day was hosted, where the district selection teams of the U13 (D-Junioren) with 16 teams and the U13 girls (D-Juniorinnen) with 6 teams competed against each other.

Winning the District Cup in 1990.

The upcoming cup matches were already held under the new coach "Atze" Tanz. After easy victories in the preliminary rounds, our team reached the quarterfinals against Effeld. The game was on a knife's edge, as it ended in a draw after regular time and went into extra time. The substitution of Jo Bronnenberg, then a player in the reserve team, proved to be a stroke of genius by the coach, as he scored the decisive 5:4 with a spectacular long-range shot into the top corner, sending the team to the semifinals. This hurdle was also overcome, and after their 1983 cup victory, our First Team was finally on the verge of winning the cup again.

In the final, the Verbandsliga team from Oberbruch was the opponent. "Atze," as a former player of OBC, knew the opponent well and prepared the team optimally for the higher-ranked team. In front of 550 spectators, OBC initially dominated but failed to capitalize on their best chances. In the 45th minute, Jochen Krappen scored the goal of the day with a header, as our team successfully defended against Oberbruch's attacks in the second half. Our team even had a goal by Luis dos Santos disallowed. The 1. FC Heinsberg-Lieck was the 1990 cup winner.

In the 1990/91 season, the First Team adapted well to the Bezirksliga, thanks in part to some strong new additions.

In the autumn, disagreements arose between the youth department and the main Board. The trigger was the transfer of a youth player to Schalke 04 and the significant sum of money the Bundesliga club transferred to our club. Disputes over the use of the money led to the resignation of the entire youth Board. As a result, a new youth Board had to be appointed at the following general assembly. Gerd Truger was elected as youth leader. He was supported by Helmut Hils as deputy youth leader, Karl-Heinz Minkenberg as youth managing director, and Günter Bernhardt as treasurer. For the main Board, Michael Jansen was elected as managing director, and Wilfried Koßlar as treasurer.

The 1990/91 season ended as follows: First Team 9th place Bezirksliga, Second Team 8th place Kreisliga B, Third Team (Portuguese team) 1st place and thus promotion to Kreisliga A, Fourth Team second-to-last place in Kreisliga B.

Our U9 (F-Jugend) managed to win the indoor district championship. The U13 (D-Jugend) were also successful again, securing both the district championship and the district cup victory.

Several years in the Bezirksliga (1991-1995)

From the following season, we only participated in competitions with three senior teams. Up until and including the 1994/95 season, we retained coach Tanz, and the Bezirksliga status was maintained during these years. In the 1992/93 season, we already looked like the future promoted team, as we were in first place at the end of the first half of the season as autumn champions. However, after a drop in performance, we had to settle for 6th place in the end. Our Second Team (Portuguese team) was relegated to Kreisliga B as the bottom of the table.

In 1994, the runners-up title was achieved. In Tanz's final year, the team also celebrated a runner-up cup victory. Then, with a heavy heart, we bid farewell to "Atze."

The Heinsberg veteran Manni Küppers – still active in the First Team – had meanwhile taken over the training of the Second Team.

In 1994, our Veterans (Alte Herren) were very successful. They became Over-40 district champions against serial winners Oberbruch. With the "old" Lieck axis Nießen, Jöris, and Behnen, they reached the final round of the FVM at the Hennef Sports School.

The youth department was bustling with activity, even beyond sports. Starting in 1994, there were mutual visits with clubs from Heinsberg's partner city, Ozimek in Poland. In the summer of 1995, the youth department welcomed a U17 (B-Jugend) team from Klub Sportowy OSP Antoniow in Heinsberg. The previous year, a visit had taken place in the Silesian partner city. The Polish guests were entertained in Heinsberg for almost a week with a comprehensive program. Activities included a city tour, a visit to the swimming pool, bowling, and a day trip to Phantasialand in Brühl. Of course, football was also played as part of a small tournament. The organization was handled by youth leader Gerd Truger and his assistant Werner Beuer. The caregivers and player mothers of the U17 (B-Jugend) ensured the guests' culinary well-being with their cooking skills.

In sports, the U13 (D-Jugend) shone again this year, winning both the district championship and the district cup.

The 1995 general assembly elected Herbert Beumers, who had previously been the vice-chairman, as the new chairman. His deputy became Wilfried Koßlar, Michael Jansen remained managing director, and Dietmar Floitgraf became treasurer.

Werner Brodermanns was appointed as the new coach for the 1995/96 season. The first games under the new coach were promising. For instance, the team eliminated Oberbruch in the first cup round with a 2:1 victory. After more good performances, the team reached the cup final against VfR Tüddern. However, due to an unacceptable team performance, they lost to the Kreisliga A rival with a score of 0:6. In the championship round, the team also approached the bottom of the table at an alarming pace. After another 1:5 defeat against Katzem, Brodermanns resigned. The Board agreed with his reasoning that he could no longer connect with the team and accepted his resignation.

Coach Küppers had meanwhile led our reserve team to the top of the Kreisliga B table. The Board had to act quickly and entrusted Manni Küppers – much to the dismay of the reserve team at the time – with managing the First Team. Küppers took on the responsibility but could not prevent relegation to Kreisliga A. The reserve team finished in 2nd place and entered the promotion playoffs. In the penalty shootout against Gangelt-Hastenrath, three penalties were missed, and the promotion was thus lost.

In 1995, our U13 (D-Jugend) participated in one of the largest European football tournaments. After consulting with the parents, it was decided to take part in the Gothia Cup in Gothenburg. Karl-Heinz Minkenberg handled all the formalities, and in July, the team, along with supervisors Minkenberg, Berens, and Caron, set off for Gothenburg. The journey began with a train ride to Flensburg, where they stayed overnight in a youth hostel. The next morning, they continued to Frederikshaven in Denmark, where the ferry to Gothenburg was booked. Entry into Denmark was almost thwarted by a forgotten ID, but the officials were understanding and issued a temporary ID. Upon arrival in Gothenburg, the team settled into a classroom at a school with air mattresses and sleeping bags.

The opening ceremony at the Ullevi Stadium alone was worth the trip, but the matches against Norwegian teams were also a highlight. Between games, the team visited the Liseberg amusement park. The closing ceremony, featuring a massive fireworks display at the Ullevi Stadium, will remain unforgettable for all participants. On the return journey, the team almost missed the train in Frederikshaven due to a delayed ferry. Only a team sprint between the ferry and the train station ensured they caught the train, and by evening, the parents could embrace their children again.

At the annual youth tournaments, weather conditions often posed challenges. Sometimes it was too hot with no shade, other times it was too cold or rainy with no shelter. This led to the decision to build a permanent structure near the playing field. After a youth board meeting, the first draft for our now well-known shelter with two small houses was sketched on a small piece of paper. Helmut Hils volunteered as the "construction manager," but beyond planning, he also secured sponsors for the two wooden houses and building materials and managed the logistics.

The sturdy retirees Arnold Küppers and Karl-Heinz Jansen took care of bricking up the shelter. Under the direction of the youth department, our well-known and frequently used houses were created. Special thanks go to Helmut Hils for his great commitment.

A difficult phase (1996-1998)

Relegation from the Bezirksliga marked the beginning of a challenging phase for 1. FC Heinsberg-Lieck. The senior teams achieved only moderate success, and the youth department also experienced a decline in membership. After the first half of the 1996/97 season, the First Team was ranked 12th. The Second and Third Teams also only managed to stay in the lower midfield of Kreisliga B. In the older youth age groups, collaboration with other clubs was necessary to ensure the players could participate in matches.

Additionally, Herbert Beumers—disappointed by the results of the past two years—did not stand for re-election. He had ambitious plans but failed in his initiatives for sponsorship.

In the 1997 general assembly, no candidate for the chairmanship could be found despite several attempts. The council of elders could do no more than task the current Board with convening a new assembly within three months to elect a new Board. If no chairman was found then, the dissolution of the club would have been imminent.

To prevent this, the council of elders held discussions with potential candidates and eventually succeeded. The subsequent assembly elected Jochen Krappen as the first chairman, Hubert Jöris as his deputy, Markus Cremers as managing director, and Dietmar Floitgraf as treasurer. Norbert Berens and Karl-Heinz Jansen were elected as deputies for the managing director and treasurer, respectively. Krappen made it a condition that no money would be spent on players, as he believed that one should not be paid for pursuing a hobby.

The highlight of the 1996/97 season was once again achieved by a youth team. This time, the U13 (D-Jugend) 7-a-side team won both the district championship and the district cup.

Manfred Küppers remained as the coach of the First Team for the upcoming 1997/98 season. The effects of the new club philosophy began to show initial problems, as both teams soon found themselves at the bottom of their respective leagues. Some players with potential had left the club, but the decision to rely solely on local players was upheld. However, the team was not yet able to compete against the experienced teams in Kreisliga A. In the end, relegation was the result for both teams.

In the youth department, the U17 (B-Jugend) won the district championship, and both the U17 (B-Jugend) and U13 (D-Jugend) claimed the indoor district championship titles.

Since joining the club, our athletes have done excellent groundwork. The now 80 active members found ideal training conditions in the stadium. Since 1983, the department has been self-managed under the chairmanship of Horst F. Brune and has achieved several successes through dedication, hard work, and talent. In 1984, the department produced 14 city and district champions, and 65 athletes were listed in the district's best rankings.

In 1957, Hubert Jülich stepped down from his position. Martin Rademacher took over as chairman. Rademacher's first task was to tackle the realization of the youth center at the Lieck school. The FVM had offered one of these sports centers to each of the clubs from Kirchhoven and Lieck, provided that a suitable plot of land was made available.

The municipality provided the building land and a subsidy of 5,000 DM, allowing construction to begin.

On August 3, 1957, the center was inaugurated during a small ceremony. To mark the occasion, a district selection team played against Alemannia Aachen. The strong Aachen team won the match 7:1.

50th Anniversary and Promotion (1960-1961)

The next major event, the club's 50th anniversary, was already casting its shadow, and the board team led by chairman Rademacher had their hands full. The celebration took place from July 30 to August 7, 1960. Apparently inspired by the 50-year history, the team achieved the district championship in the 1960/61 season with 78:34 goals and 41:7 points. The next challenge was the playoff match against the champion of the Jülich district for promotion to the Bezirksklasse. On neutral ground in Erkelenz, Germania faced Frankonia Broich. It is said that all of Lieck must have been at the game in Erkelenz, as the town resembled a ghost town that day.

From the very beginning, the Lieck team applied pressure, and after just 30 seconds, Heinz Lowis (our later clubhouse host) put Lieck in the lead with a low shot. This lead had to be defended for a long time, and the Germanen defense stood like a wall. Last man Josef Jansen (Gehles Jupp) held the defense together, and goalkeeper Edi Willems saved everything that came his way. With skill and perseverance, the lead was maintained until the end. Germania Lieck was now a Bezirksliga team.

The success of the senior team seemed to inspire the youth teams as well, as under youth leader Horst Schmidtke, they celebrated great achievements. The club benefited not only from good guidance in the sporting area but also from numerous extracurricular activities such as movie nights, trips, and delightful Christmas celebrations.

The First Team started the 1961/62 season very well and even topped the table after five matchdays. Unfortunately, the performance could not be maintained, and some key players were sidelined due to injuries in crucial matches. All in all, it wasn't enough to stay in the league, and at the end of the season, the team had to return to the district league.

Toni Feilzer and the District Championships (1962-1965)

In 1962, Martin Rademacher stepped down as chairman for health reasons. During the general meeting, Toni Feilzer was elected as the new chairman by the attendees. Feilzer had been transferred the previous year from Haaren to Lieck as the headmaster of the elementary school. This turned out to be a fortunate development for the future, as Feilzer brought board experience from Concordia Haaren. He was joined on the board by Hubert Hanrath, Theo Hilgers, and Hubert Esser.

After the relegation, the board appointed former Oberliga player Willi Wicken as coach to make a fresh attempt at promotion to the Bezirksliga. In the first match under the new coach, the team defeated Aphoven 9:1. Similarly, the team started the series with a 5:0 win over Concordia Haaren. By the end of the season, they celebrated the district championship once again, this time without suffering a single defeat.

In the promotion round, all three teams—Lieck, Walberberg, and Höfen—finished with the same points. The entire round had to be replayed, during which Lieck lost 5:1 to Höfen and narrowly missed promotion. However, a protest letter from Germania ensured that future promotions would only involve teams from the Rur-Wurm district.

The Second Team also achieved an excellent 4th place in the 1962/63 season. During the 1963 general meeting, members decided for the first time to establish a youth committee to promote youth work.

For cost reasons, the chairman also took over the senior team's training for the following season. This financially and athletically sound solution was rewarded with the autumn championship. However, in the final phase of the season, goalkeeper Willems suffered a severe injury in the match against Kempen. The game was lost 3:0, and Edi was sidelined for the remaining matches. Kempen ended up at the top of the table. Although an appeal led to a playoff match against Kempen, the team unfortunately lost 2:1, even though goalkeeper Willems was fit again.

Youth work made good progress during this time, partly because teacher Feilzer, as a talent scout (what we would call a scout today) at the elementary school, was in the perfect position and carried out his role with expertise. The school team achieved 2nd place in their group, and the boys' team only lost in the final of the district championship round and the district cup. These successes gave hope for a bright future, as players with names like Nießen, Deckers, Hülsen, Vogels, and Winkens appeared for the first time.

The 1964/65 season was disappointing for the First Team, ending the first half of the season at the bottom of the table. The Second Team showed strength, leading their group with 17:3 points. In the winter of this season, on January 29, 1965, the First Team's captain Josef Jansen-Wallraven passed away unexpectedly. He had been part of the team for sixteen years and was known in the area for his dedication and strong performances. His friends will never forget him.

By the end of the season, the team managed to secure 8th place. In the following season, our team regained its former strength and achieved the autumn championship. However, the performance could not be sustained, and the 1965/66 season ended with a 4th place finish.

Youth Successes and Promotion (1966-1969)

In the following years, the senior teams could not achieve any outstanding successes, but the tireless work in our youth department yielded remarkable results. The U19 (A-Jugend) won the championship and cup for Germania in the 1966/67 season. The U15 (C-Jugend) was celebrated as district champion, and the U13 (D-Jugend) secured fourth place in their group. These successes were even repeated the following year by the U19 (A-Jugend) and U15 (C-Jugend).

These youth successes were largely thanks to the dedicated efforts of coaches Toni Feilzer and Mathias Oligschläger, in addition to the talent of the Lieck youth.

In the 1968/69 season, Franz Kranz replaced the deserving coach Theo Hilgers after four years of service. The first half of the season was a great success. Lieck managed to secure four autumn championships: both senior teams, the U19 (A-Jugend), and the U15 (C-Jugend).

However, at the beginning of the second half of the season, the club was struck by another tragedy as coach Franz Kranz passed away unexpectedly at just 35 years old. The loss of this understanding and dedicated sportsman was hard to bear, but his friend Jakob Knour from Hilfarth stepped in as coach and completed the path to success started by Franz, culminating in promotion to the Bezirksliga. Our reserve team had to concede promotion to the reserve team of Alemannia Heinsberg, who narrowly defended their top position in the end.

The goal of maintaining the Bezirksklasse was achieved under Coach Knour, but the club community was again shaken by a sudden death. Treasurer Horst Neutka succumbed to a heart attack at just 41 years old. He was honored with a lasting memory.

U19 (A-Jugend) on Regional Level (1971-1973)

Our U19 (A-Jugend) achieved further successes. After winning the district championship in 1971/72, the team represented the football district at the regional level. Here, they defeated the Troisdorf team 3:0 and 4:3. Unfortunately, they could not prevail against the strong Rhenanen from Würselen, losing 0:2 and 0:1.

The relegation of the First Team was narrowly avoided in the 1971/72 season with the help of the best U19 (A-Jugend) players Heinz Hülsen and Karl-Heinz Deckers. Motivated by the U19 (A-Jugend)'s successes, which were already widely known, Klaus Stoll, a former youth coach at Rhenania Würselen, took over as coach in the 1972/73 season and led the team to the upper midfield.

District Champion in the D-Class (1920/21)

After the First World War, Franz Görtz steered the fortunes of the revived Germania as chairman. In 1920, Germania joined the WSV for the second time and subsequently formed the D-Class with neighboring clubs. The club soon regained its former playing strength. In the 1920/21 season, they immediately secured the championship title in this class.

Germania's playing strength was also evident in numerous tournament victories. At the sports festival in Wassenberg, around 40 clubs were reportedly registered. The prize was a cornucopia adorned with a Reichsadler as an honorary award. The winner of the tournament received a glassware set. The cornucopia was highly coveted, and the motto was "Dat Hoere modde wir haan!" (We must have the horn!). The team played accordingly and found themselves in the final against the team from Hilfarth. Hilfarth also wanted the cornucopia, and the game ended 0:0. In extra time, a mistake by Lieck's goalkeeper Behnen led to a 1:0 victory for Hilfarth.

This game was probably the first in which a team protested against the scoring of its own goal. The protest was rejected because goalkeeper Behnen was able to prove a war injury that hindered him. Thus, the cornucopia found its way to Lieck, and Hilfarth had to settle for the glassware set.

Crisis and New Beginning (1925-1932)

However, a serious crisis soon arose. The best players became too old or moved away, and suitable new talent was lacking. The club was on the verge of dissolution. The merger with the Kirchhoven club "Corona" ultimately brought salvation.

In 1931, the two clubs separated again, and SV Germania Lieck was re-established. Under the leadership of Heinrich Küppers as the first chairman, Germania returned to calmer waters. However, the club's application to join the WSV was initially rejected due to opposition from the association, so the club joined the DJK (Deutsche Jugendkraft). Here, "DJK Germania" managed to reach the top in the 1930/31 season. The association could no longer refuse the club's application for re-admission to the WSV in 1932, which was supported by signatures from neighboring clubs.

In the first season of 1932/33, Germania achieved the group victory.

Relegation Battle and Derby (1933-1938)

In the following years, the club narrowly avoided relegation each time. Unfortunately, in the 1934/35 season, our sister club Alemannia was not so lucky, as the final standings show.

The decisive game between Germania and Alemannia is described as follows in the Heinsberger Zeitung:

Lieck safe! Heinsberg lost!

Germania Lieck – Alemannia Heinsberg 2:1

In this traditional local encounter, the relegation question was at stake yesterday in Lieck, a circumstance that spurred both teams to maximum effort. Thus, a spirited battle unfolded on Germania's grounds, which began promisingly for Lieck when striker Hülsewiche secured the first goal in the 5th minute. However, the Alemannen did not relent and forced an open game, earning the equalizer in the 25th minute. The audience witnessed thrilling scenes and dramatic moments at both goals, but no further goals were scored before halftime. Halftime score: 1:1! After the break, both rivals fought fiercely for the lead. The Germanians initially had more of the game and soon scored a second goal through Hubert Jütten. Encouraged by this, the Alemannen pressed hard against Lieck's goal in the following period.

The home team had to endure tense moments in defense due to the many attacks from the visitors, but they managed to clear even the most dangerous situations repeatedly. When the final whistle blew, Germania had secured two valuable points and thus ensured their stay in the 2nd District Class, while the Alemannen left with another disappointment. Heinsberg's relegation to the 3rd District Class was definitively sealed in Lieck. Tragically, it was the local rival who delivered the "death blow" to the Alemannen.

If people had known about the future merger back then, they might have treated Alemannia differently and "gifted" them a point.

TuS Lieck and the Start of the War (1938-1945)

Two years later, in 1938, Germania also had to move down to the 3rd District Class. To expand the player base, a merger with the gymnastics club Jahn Lieck to form "TuS Lieck" was initiated. Wilhelm Laumen became the chairman. Since the sports field had already been located at the "Liecker Hof" for some time, the clubhouse was now also established there.

The approaching Second World War and the associated military conscription weakened the playing strength of many clubs in the area. With the outbreak of the war in 1939, the senior teams' matches came to a complete halt. Only the youth team continued to play matches. The organizational framework was provided by the "Bann 242," a unit of the then Hitler Youth. In the cup competition, the Germania U19 (A-Jugend) defeated the strong SV 09 Baesweiler with 6:1 but then lost to Oberbruch with 1:0 and 2:2 in the return match. The youth leader at that time was Josef Schlicher. The U19 (A-Jugend) of that time formed the foundation for the club's revival after the war. The players included: Heinz Zimmermanns, Willi Houben, Josef Geiser, Edmund Jansen, Willi Jütten, Gerhard Behnen, Klaus Mühlstroh, Hubert Houben, Matthias Jansen, Willi Ohlenforst, and Josef Hülsen.

Even in Lieck, football was already part of the regular gatherings of the then bachelor club before 1910. At Klauser Berg—on the other side of the Klosterhof—on a meadow, football was used to sweeten the bachelor life.

Numerically, the group was not yet strong in those days, so friends from the basket weaving school in Heinsberg joined the bachelors as playing partners over time. They were led by the brothers Johann and Wilhelm Geiser, who at that time lived in what is now the house of von der Forst on Waldfeuchter Straße.

This enjoyable activity in a rough sport, without much knowledge of the rules, initially displeased the older generation, especially since a bachelor—seemingly confirming the elders' concerns—suffered a shinbone fracture during one of the games. Shocked and unsettled by this severe injury, the bachelors subsequently gave up the sport.

The basket makers were a bit more robust here, stayed true to the sport, and continued to enjoy playing with the round leather. Shortly thereafter, they decided to follow the example of some surrounding villages like Dremmen, Oberbruch, Schafhausen, and Wassenberg and to establish their own club. On May 13, 1910, a considerable number of young, football-enthusiastic men gathered to found a football club at the Josef Tillmanns pub (our former club venue "Zur Sportzentrale") in Lieck. The founding of the club was unanimously decided, and the club was named "Spielverein Germania Lieck." Johann Randerath was elected as the first chairman, and other Board members included the brothers Johann and Wilhelm Geiser, Franz Görtz, and Leonhard Schieren from Endebruch. This Leonhard Schieren took over the chairmanship shortly thereafter, as Johann Randerath moved to Langbroich due to his marriage. The first football attire was donated by the Geiser brothers and consisted of a vertically striped red-black jersey and a similarly striped cap.

With this stylish attire, the following team played during the founding period: Goalkeeper Franz Görtz, Christian Wählen, Wilhelm Geiser, Wilhelm Hilgers, Peter Oeben, Holländer Pier (real name unknown), Wilhelm Görtz, Reiner Florack, Hermann Behnen, Edmund, and Leonard Jansen.

The first club match against Schafhausen was unfortunately lost 1:4, but the young team was not discouraged and improved their skills from game to game. With their growing skills came increased recognition in the community, and the number of members also grew. By 1912, the club already had about 100 members. Gymnastics was also being practiced in the club by then, and the increasing number of enthusiasts for this sport led to a separation in 1912, forming a new gymnastics club "Jahn Lieck."

However, the organization of a large sports festival in 1912 showed that the separation had no negative impact on football. The sports field was already located near the current "old field" behind the Grenzgraben at Horster Weg/Martinusstraße. A military team from Regiment 28, which was conducting maneuvers in the Heinsberg area, also participated in the tournament. Lieck managed to defeat the team 6:1 despite a game interruption. During the game, the ball got caught between the head of a striker and the foot of a defender and burst with a loud bang. According to tradition, the cause was Peter Oeben's powerful shot, and this reputation preceded him for a long time.

At that time, the Lieck team was one of the strongest in the district, and this fact, along with growing ambition, led the Germania team in 1913 to become the first football club in the district to join the then West German Football Association (WSV). Now they could compete against strong opponents, playing against teams like Schiefbahn, Wahlhausen, and Eintracht Mönchengladbach. While these games were very educational, the travels were very costly, and it was decided in 1914 to leave the association and henceforth measure their strength in friendly matches against neighboring clubs. The playing field at Horster Weg had to be abandoned soon after, as it was leased out by the municipality for other purposes.

For a short time, they shared a field immediately next to today's Kirchhoven sports field with the Kirchhoven footballers. But soon, the club was allowed to return to Horster Weg, where a new field had been prepared at the site of today's "old field." With much love and self-effort, two beautiful wooden goals were prepared for the first game. The shock was great when, on the game day, the goals had disappeared without a trace. Apparently, a builder had supplemented his supply of wood for a roof frame. Replacement was quickly arranged so that the game could still take place.

The outbreak of the First World War also represented a severe setback for the young Germania club, as many of the active players were drafted into military service. The game operations came to a complete halt.

After the end of the World War, life slowly returned to normal, and the footballers came together again. However, 17 footballers did not return, as they were killed in the war.